The Department for Combating Corruption Crimes of the RА Prosecutor General 's Office summed up the results of the criminal-legal fight against corruption crimes in the republic for 2019.

 

The analysis showed that compared to 2018, in 2019 the number of materials prepared by the competent authorities of the RA on corruption cases was increased by 95 or 4.7% amounting to 2083, and despite this, the number of initiated criminal cases was decreased by 4.7% or 70 amounting to 1399.

 

These indicators showed that the level of trust and public support that was provided to law enforcement agencies regarding the detection of corruption crimes continued to be high. In parallel with this, the number of media publications regarding possible corruption manifestations, as well as the activity of the initiative of law enforcement agencies in the anti-corruption fight, was significantly increased. In particular, if in 2018, 25 such media publications were considered, then in 2019, by 47 or 88% more. If in 2018 532 cases were found out regarding obtaining data on crimes, material traces of crimes and consequences while exercising their powers, then in 2019 by 1020 or 92% more.

 

A sharp increase was registered in the number of criminal cases of corruption nature investigated in the proceedings of the competent authorities. In 2019 this figure was 2625, which compared to 2018 was more by 553 or 26.6%.

 

At the same time, under the conditions of such a significant growth and increase in the volume of overload of the criminal prosecution bodies, it was possible to complete in 2019 1006 criminal cases of corruption nature, which exceeded the result of the last year by 34.3%.

 

For 2019 by corruption nature criminal cases investigated in the proceedings of the RA preliminary investigation bodies were prosecuted by 31.4% more people.

 

And 240 cases against 338 people with indictment were sent to court. This is in the case when in 2018 156 criminal cases against 288 people were sent to the court. Thus, the number of criminal cases of corruption nature sent to court was increased by 89 or 58.9 %, and the number of people involved in corruption cases by 100 or 34.7%.

 

For 2019, 160 cases of corruption nature against 286 people were examined and completed in courts. 197 people were convicted, including 112 sentenced to imprisonment. Thus, compared to 2018 the number of criminal cases examined in court was increased by 22.6%, the number of defendants involved in these cases was increased by 22.7%, and the number of people who committed corruption nature crimes and sentenced to imprisonment was increased by 119.6%.

 

Unprecedented results were registered in connection with restoration of damage caused to the state by crimes. In particular, by criminal cases investigated during the indicated period, the overwhelming majority of which were cases of corruption nature, according to preliminary estimates (having in mind that by cases under investigation it can be changed), the damage caused to the state or communities amounted to 105.7 million AMD, compared with the registered in 2018 85 billion AMD.  12.4 billion AMD were restored.

 

By criminal cases investigated during 2019 with a view to restore material damage caused to the state and communities arrest in the amount of 10.2 billion AMD was attached to accounts, on movable or immovable property of accused or defendants, which compared to 2018 (about 7 billion) is more by 45.7%.

 

It is noteworthy that within the framework of criminal cases investigated during 2018-2019 the total damage caused by criminal cases to the state or communities - 190.7 billion AMD by 5.2 exceeded the amount of damage revealed during 2009-2017, which was 36.5 billion AMD.

 

In the context of the criminal legal fight against corruption in 2019 Prosecutor’s Office considered it important to apply mechanisms provided for by the legislation on criminal procedure aimed at detecting property of unlawful origin of people (including outside the RA) who committed the alleged crimes, as well as restoring the damage caused or returning the specified property to the state, which often was an objective reason for the delay of investigations.

 

2019 has become noteworthy for the large-scale effective work in the direction of detecting corruption crimes in some areas as a result of cooperation between criminal prosecution bodies. These areas are the legality of the registration of employees of public administration and educational institutions, the processes of paying salaries, the alienation of property owned by the state through auctions or sales, during the activities of High-Voltage Electric Networks CJSC, the implementation of road construction projects and the activities of medical and social expert commission and some other areas. For certain types of crimes, the criminal legal dynamics and more detailed results of the criminal prosecution will be presented in the near future.